Safety apparatus for city bailsoad-cabs



. To all l'whom 'it `may concern:

UNITED srATEs PATENT oFEIcE.

SAMUEL GREEN, 40E LAMBERTVILLE, NEW JERSEY, AssIGNoR fro HIMSELF, AND` lw. R. GREEN, 0E PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. f

sArETY ArrAnATUs'FoR CITY lrArnnoAn-ciur.s,l i

,specification bf Letters Patient No. 24,776, datedv July 12,1859;

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GEBEN, of Lambertville, in the county ofHunterdon and, State of New Jersey, have invented a new and ImprovedLife and Limb -Protector for Application to Horse-Cars of CityRailroads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the construction and operation of the same,reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of thisVspecification, in which- Figure 1 represents an inner side elevation,and Fig. 2 a top view, of one end of a car-truck, with the saidinvention applied thereto.

Like letters, in both figures, indicating the same parts.

The nature of' my invention consists in providing a swinging frame andbolt in connection with brake-bhxzks, in front of the forward wheels ofa city rail-road passenger-car, so arrangedin relation to each other,that should a person iall upon the track, in getting in or out at theforward end of the car, or otherwise, while it is in motion, the saidswinging frame shall be so operated from coming in contact with anypartof' the person on the track, as to let fall'the brake-blocks beforethe wheels, and so, instantly arrest the rotary motion of the saidwheels and prevent them from either coming into contact with, or passingover, any part of the said person.

In the drawings, A, represents the forward end of the Jr'rame of a citypassengercar; B, B, the front wheels; G,'the swinging frame; 1), 1), thedrop brake-blocks; and E, 1G, the track rails.

The swing' frame (C) consists of a thin board f, suspended across, andnearly in -contact with the track rails (E, 16,) from the car frame (A),by means of the two arms, g, g, which are fixed on a bar It, which ispivoted at its ends so as to turn in bearings z', i, which are fixed onthe frame (A)- all substantially as shown in the drawings.

fixed to the frame (A). The lower rearside of this piece (n) hasaninclined plane, p, fixed near each end so as to receive and support thebrake blocksv (D, D',) above rails-substantially as shown in Fig. l.

The brake blocks (D,-1),)A are connected together by 'a piece of timberg, andi are each formed so as to fitinto the angle produced between thetread of each Iof the wheels (B, 13,) and its respective rail (E, or E),when the said blocks'are dropped upon the rails--as hereinafterdescribed-t11e said blocks (D, 1),) being also connected with the frame(A) by means of a strong chain, r, at each end, whose respective lengthsare such as will allow the said blocks to fall into` the angles betweenthe wheels and track, before noticed, andyet prevent them from beingpassed over by thewheels.

At the forward end of the frame (A) a foot lever s, is arranged, whoselower end is connected with the brake bar (q) by means of the ropes t,t, so that when the upper end ot' the said lever (s) is pushed back, thebrake blocks (l), 1),) are drawn up thereby upon the inclined planes (p,79,) and when the foot is removed, the said blocks fall upon the trackrails and come into contact with the tread of' the wheels 15, Ba-

In t-he mlddle ofthe brake-connecting piece (g) there is aneye or loopu, which is adapted to pass beneath the socket (m), when the piece (g)is drawn up on the planes (p, p,)-(the bolt (Z) being first raised forthe purpose) so as to receive into it the lower end of the said boltwhen the latter is let fall for the purpose.

Attached to the arm (lc) is a slender chain or strong cord, '1), whichpasses up through the platform of the car so as to lie-like thefoot-lever (.\')-within such convenient reach of the driver as willenable him to operate them as occasion may require. A sheet iron fender,w, may be fixedV between each of the fore and aftwheels, as a furthersafe guard.

Operation: )Vhen the car is in motion theY brake blocks (D, 1),) aresupported above the track rails (E, E) and out of contact with thewheels (B, B), as shown in the drawings, there being suiicient room, ofcourse, above the said blocks (D, 1),) for the application and operationof the usual brakes-Which are not shown in the drawings. Suppose a`person, in the act of get-l mg in or ont of the car while it is inmotion, falls so as to be thrown upon the track in .front of either ofthe wheels (B or B) or so as to have an arm or leg inthat position-theswinging frame (C) will come in contact therewith, be moved backward,and so lift the bolt (l) and let drop the brake blocks (l), 1),), which,comingr into the position shown bythe red lines 1n the figures',

Y will immediately arrest the rotary motion the bolt (l) into the eye orloopl and so secures the brake blocks,y as before.

` The brake blocks (I), 1),) could aswell be drawn'up by means of ahalnl-cord, but as a stone upon the trackor a strongI headwind wouldswing;` back the frame (C) and drop the brake blocks, the said footlever (s) is best, because it enables the driver tx guard against such aresult, as by thus holding` the brake-blmrks (l), D) the li'ting'` ofthe bolt (l) by the accidental movementv of the frame (C) vwill notrelease the said blocks from thelever (s). l

I t will be' readily perceivedthat this a paratus, when applled asdescribed, will effectual] y prevent the loss of life or limbs of thosewho may accidentally fall or be thrown u in the track in front of thewheels-acci ents which 'have been very numerous and fatal sinceythe'introduction v of these now indispensible means 'of travel, mcxtles.

Having thus fully described my apparatus, and ointed outfits utility,what I claim as new tierein of my invention, and desire lto securev byLetters Patent, is-

frame (C) in connection;

The kSwingin with the-bolt and cord ('11) the brakeblocks (D, 1),) inconnection with the chains (1', 73) and cords (t, t,)f, and thestationary -supportingieee l(10,); the same, or their equivalents,`erated substantially in the manner and for,

ing arranged, applied and opthc purpose set forth and described.

i e SAMUEL GREEN. Witnesses: t

W. N. Kuren, Jorn: O. HULL.

